In this course, we explore archaeological evidence and theoretical frameworks for the study of the world’s earliest states and civilizations. The course takes an explicitly comparative perspective — exploring the first civilizations of Mesopotamia, South Asia, China, Mexico, and Peru, through an examination of such issues as economic structures and transformations, social hierarchy and systems of leadership, ideology and belief systems, monuments and cities, and writing and administration. In discussing each case, we seek to explore what is distinctive — and what is similar — in the processes and structures, histories, and material remains of each. The course begins with a general introduction to archaeological methods and evidence, and then presents an historical overview of prior approaches to the study of states and civilizations, before exploring the individual case studies. We conclude by discussing the end of states and the environmental, political, and other conditions that lead to state collapse.

Syllabi are available to current LSA students. IMPORTANT: These syllabi are provided to give students a general idea about the courses, as offered by LSA departments and programs in prior academic terms. The syllabi do not necessarily reflect the assignments, sequence of course materials, and/or course expectations that the faculty and departments/programs have for these same courses in the current and/or future terms.